Neutiquam erro
by cabo123
Summary: I am not lost". A transient stumbles upon Fangtasia, piquing the interest of both Eric and the rest of the community. Poor summary, mostly because it's still in development. T for language and themes.
1. Chapter 1

I sat in the back of the bus, the already dim overhead lights flickering with every pothole and bump in the road. Even though I was the last person on the bus save the driver, I had my hood pulled low over my face, all but covering my eyes, exposing just the straight line of my nose and the full, wide blossom of my mouth.

_Trouble at home, travel away, you say_

"_The road don't like me"_

_Travel away, travel it all away_

_The road's gonna end on me_

The Yeah Yeah Yeah's song sounded distant and tinny in my beat up headphones, but I smiled bitterly anyway at the familiar lyrics. How truer could they be? I gazed past the scratched and carved windows of the bus, neon lights just ahead. Fangstasia, they advertised.

_Now the strangers have caught on_

_And they're riding in the backseat_

The driver's eyes flicked back to me in the rearview mirror for the umpteenth time silently begging me to get off.

_The river's gonna wash all_

_Yeah the river it spoke to me_

_It told me I'm small_

_And I swallowed it down_

My stomach growled, angry with hunger.

_If I make it at all_

I pulled the cord, signaling the driver to stop.

_I'll make you want me_

I stepped off the bus, duffle bag in tow, and stared up at the bright neon sign.

Fangtasia.


	2. first days of spring noah and the whale

**I DON'T OWN ANYTHING TRUE BLOOD. **listen to "first days of spring" by noah and the whale.

It was late, almost obscenely so. A few fangbangers loitered outside, pulling long drags from their cigarettes. As I approached the small, seemingly innocuous bar I caught a whiff of tobacco and immediately felt the craving. Like many aspects of my life, I repressed the itch to grab a cigarette. I was down to my last three of my last pack.

I came up to the red velvet rope currently being guarded by a blonde woman dressed head to toe in black, a disinterested look plastered across her face. Vampire. My hood was still concealing most of my face as I came nose to nose with the woman.

She quirked an eyebrow.

"ID?"

I shrugged. "Can you take my word for it?"

The blond woman gave me a once over, lingering on my hidden neck.

"We're closing soon. Make it quick." She stepped aside granting me entrance.

********

I all but collapsed onto the barstool, exhausted and at my wits end. I'd been traveling constantly for days now without much food or shelter except for a seedy motel, buses and trains. I'd traveled over 4,000 miles and still hadn't found a place to call home. In the end, though, after I'd been traveling for some two months, I'd decided that the lifestyle suited me. My mother always told me I had hot feet, had to keep moving.

Inside the club I was surprised to find a decent amount of humans and vampires still drinking and partying. Well… one species was drinking. The other would no doubt be partying later. No one seemed to notice my presence, something I was grateful for. I preferred to fly under the radar.

The bartender ghosted towards where I was perched on the far end of the bar. He gave me a half sneer half leer. "What'll it be?"

"Whatever you have that isn't synthetically produced blood," I quipped, leaning on the smooth wood and cupping my chin, almost overcome with exhaustion. I needed food and I needed it fast. The bartender placed a double shot of whiskey in front of me. I downed it. "And a burger."

I ate in silence and seclusion. I felt the whiskey warm my blood, the food fill my stomach contentedly. Midway through my meal I stole another glance around the club, curious. I had always been a watcher. My mother said I had a keen eye for details and I picked up on things naturally.

Vampires and fangbangers alike gyrated on the floor, hypnotic beats thumping from the speakers. A few vampires swiveled and snaked on the tables, moving inhumanly fast. Some sat a little too close to their no doubt glamoured human counterparts, whispering and mesmerizing the poor saps. One booth in particular was set apart from the rest. I watched as a bumbling, balding human male approached a person seated at the booth. I was too far away to listen in on the scene but I caught the gist of the exchange when the human was catapulted away by the foot of the vampire. I looked away in disgust. It seemed to me that no one, whether they be vampire or human or what have you, knew how to treat each other these days. Decades of life had obviously not provided that vampire with any semblance of manners.

My head was swimming with my second double shot. With my vision began spinning, the thumping bass acting as my lullaby, I buried my head in my arms on the bar.

My dreams were never of the normal variety. Always chaotic and ad hoc; vibrant and sometimes terrifying. I was no stranger to premonitions; in fact, I saw her leave before she left. I saw that bus before I even got to Louisiana. I never needed maps, my compass was inside me, and it led me here. For what reason, I don't know.

I was in the middle of a particularly vivd dream, bright blues and blinding whites; snowcaps and furs and fire. And then it changed, as it always does; as an estuary blends into the ocean. Pearls, a white picket fence, red lipstick and empty wine bottles. Occasionally I would dream about the past. And again the mercurial nature of my dreams shifted and I was in front of her grave.

_Do not stand at my grave and weep_

It wasn't so long ago. My hair was a little shorter, my body a little heftier.

_I am not there, I do not sleep_

_I am in a thousand winds that blow_

_I am in the softly falling snow_

In my dream, I watched myself as if I were a crow perched on a branch, a fox peering through the brush. This is usually how it was.

_I am the starshine of the night _

_I am in the flowers that bloom_

_I am in a quiet room_

Then something quite strange happened. I heard voices.

"Is it alive?"

_I am in the birds that sing_

"I knew she was trouble the minute I let her in." I felt something poke my back left shoulder. I cracked an eye open and saw the world sideways.

_I am in each lovely thing_

The blonde woman from the entrance, the bartender and another strange mountain of a vampire stood hovered around me, all staring.

"Ah, it lives," The vampire I'd never seen before spoke.

_Do not stand at my grave and cry_

"What is your name?"

_I am not there, I did not die._


	3. metal heart

**disclaimer: don't own anything but my original charactaz and plot.** I guess. Also, this eric is more like the tv show (obviously) than the books.

I stared up at the three vampires surrounding me, still half asleep. Raising my head up I could get a proper look at the newest vampire addition.

_Losing a star without a sky_

He stood well over six feet and held himself with importance. I suppose he considered himself an intimidating presence as most vampires do, though I never harbored any fear or hatred towards any supernatural being. Do I have more of a right, as a human, to be on this planet? I don't think so. If anything, most humans represent the inferior race. Young, dumb, weak, the backbone of a jellyfish. Of course, I'd like to think I'm a step ahead of that profile, but _telle est la vie. _

_Losing the reasons why_

I continued to stare at the three vampires. The woman, I realized, was actually quite pretty, albeit somewhat severe. The bartender was a roundish man, very quiet. The other man was quite the sight. Blonde hair slicked back, putting his blue eyes on display. They reminded me of the water back home; clear and beautiful, but I knew all too well the dangers that lurked.

_Losing the call, you've been faking, and I'm not kidding_

I suddenly realized the vampires were still waiting on me expectantly.

_It's damned if you don't and it's damned if you do_

"Oh, uh…" I looked around the club. Empty. _You should probably be afraid_, I thought to myself. Curiously, though, I wasn't.

_Sew your fortunes on a string_

_And hold them up to light_

"We're closed, human," the blond woman from earlier spoke. I began to wonder if she ever spoke in a tone other than "utterly bored." I sensed spite in the last word.

_Blue smoke will take a very violent flight_

"Pam," the mountain of a vampire spoke, a slight warning in his tone. He turned his gaze back to me, staring me straight in the eye. I stared right back. "What's your name, human?"

_And you will be changed_

I hesitated. I was never the type to offer information about myself willingly. I was a very private person. Then, I figured _what's the harm?_

_…I once was lost, but now I'm found_

If only I'd known.

"Aesop," I stated. Standing up and reaching for my bag, I was startled when my fingers grasped nothing but air. I looked up to see my bag held in front of me, dangling by the man's index finger.

_Was blind, but now I see you_

"What a peculiar name. Tell me, human, are you male or female?"

_How selfish of you_

I was slightly taken aback by his question. Then again, I realized, my hood was still obscuring my face, and with all my time traveling with very little money or food I was rail thin. My voice had always been sonorous and ambiguous, and I blamed my smoking past for furthering the rasp.

_To believe in the meaning of all the bad dreaming_

I reached out and took my bag, making it a point to avoid all physical contact with the vampire. I was sort of unsettled by him, whether I wanted to admit it or not. I realized I was sweating and pulled off my sweatshirt, thereby revealing my gender.

Girl, if you hadn't caught on by now.

I squirmed under the vampires' intense stares, all sizing me up. Again, the thought crossed my mind that I should be afraid, but again I found myself confident and secure. _Nobody wants to eat a malnourished chicken for dinner, anyways._

"Where are you from, Aesop?"

_Metal heart, you're not hiding_

I really wished I could just get on my way. I was feeling sort of nauseous, a very bad feeling settling in the pit of my stomach. Even though my eyes only skirted the duffle bag in my hands I had no doubt the vampire had noticed.

_Metal hear, you're not worth a thing_

"Around," I offered vaguely, moving towards the door.

"Are you homeless?" The blond male vampire moved to prevent me from leaving, a woosh of fabric as he moved with inhuman speed.

"Oh, no," I waved my hand. _Keep yourself to yourself! _I reminded myself.

"Where do you live?" Usually I have pretty good patience, but the questions were wearing me down. I had only slept about half an hour by my estimates and I was still exhausted.

_Metal heart, you're not hiding_

"………….Alaska." I stood awkwardly. The female vampire stifled a bored laugh. I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet for a moment before jutting my thumb in the direction of the door. "I-"

"You're an awful long way from home, young lady." The male vampire's face betrayed no discernable emotion. Perhaps a little curiosity. I couldn't be sure.

I opened my mouth to answer when someone knocked on the door.

My eyes immediately darted to the source of the sound and I remembered something; my dream. I had heard a knock and then saw endless black (never a good sign in any of my dreams). Before I could even blink, the bartending vampire had began moving towards the door.

"Don't open that!" I yelped, surprised. Just then, the door busted open, the metal buckling under the weight of the explosive used.

I flinched and crouched out of instinct. The vampires all tensed, ready for battle. Curiously, though, everything remained eerily silent. My ears were still ringing from the explosion. I peered towards the door, swinging meagerly by one hinge.

I had found my voice early enough for the bartending vampire to stop, not close enough to the explosion to suffer any damage.

I found myself a little confused.

"Chow," the male vampire spoke to the bartender. His name was Chow? And they thought my name was weird. Chow appeared to be studying the outside of the door, his eyes narrowed.

"It says, 'consider this a warning. L.O.D.I' and there's a box," he said, moving closer to the door.

I closed my eyes for a split second, and that was all I needed. I saw Chow approach the box, all blurred and fluid like, and I saw the far side of the box, where the numbers were ticking down. 5…4..

_Metal heart, you're not worth a thing_

"No!" I screamed again, opening my eyes. My hands flew up to the sides of my face, bracing for another explosion. I squeezed my eyes shut again before seeing if Chow had time to turn….

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	4. help i'm alive

Don't own true blood. Le sigh.

I laid flat on my stomach, still reeling from the second explosion. I ventured to peek my head up to see tiny splinters embedded in the walls and furniture nearest to the entrance. My heart was beating furiously. I stood up shakily, craning my head to see Chow stand up from under a table and dust himself off, seemingly more preoccupied with the dust on his suit than the miniature wooden stakes lodged in the wall where his head was mere seconds ago.

_I tremble_

Considering my legs probably had the consistency of jello I sat on the barstool. The male vampire whose name was still a mystery suddenly appeared inches from my face. My eyes were probably still bugged from the shock of the explosions.

_They're gonna eat me alive_

"How did you know those things were going to happen before they in fact took place?" He demanded. My mouth goldfished on its own accord for a minute.

_If I stumble_

"I swear, I don't know anything, those things just happen to me sometimes," I gushed, holding my hands up in ignorance and innocence.

_They're gonna eat me alive_

"What do you mean 'those things just happen sometimes'?" he inquired, still in my face. I could smell the metallic scent of blood on his breath.

_Can you hear my heart beating like a hammer?_

"I mean I just see things before they," My eyes were shifting. I'd come close in the past to leaking my 'secret', but never actually admitted to it. "Y'know…" little beads of sweat formed along my hairline. "Actually happen…." I bit my lip.

_Help, I'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer_

"So you knew that was going to happen? Did _they _send you?" I could tell he was very, _very _suspicious of me. I could tell anger was bubbling up inside him.

_Hard to be soft_

"No! Well, I mean,"

_Tough to be tender_

"Yes, I saw it,"

_Come take my pulse the pace is on a runaway train_

"But nobody sent me here. I have nothing to do with that," I waved my hand in the general direction of the destruction.

_If you're still alive_

Within moments, the contents of my bag were spilled on a nearby table, the female vampire pawing through my stuff. I saw her pick up my clothes, my cigarettes; I watched her leaf through my books. She then picked up and inspected a photograph, the only one I have, my mother and I in the Valdez Narrows taken the year before she died.

_My regrets are few_

All the while, the male vampire stared at me intently, making sure I had no escape.

_If my life is mine_

As if I had anywhere to go.

_What shouldn't I do?_

"She has nothing," the female dropped my dingy tank top on top of the pile. "Literally."

_I get wherever I'm going_

She stuffed all of my belongings back into my bag. All except for the picture, which she brought over and handed to the male. I suddenly felt very exposed and cold. I wrapped my bony arms around myself, noticing the goosebumps. I briefly wondered if they were due to temperature or situation.

"This is you and your mother?" He asked, scrutinizing the picture. I merely nodded. I hadn't had to speak about her since her passing, and I knew if I tried it would not end well.

"Does she know where you are?"

I swallowed audibly, digging my nails into my arms to prevent myself from crying. "No," I managed to keep the tremble out of my voice. The male raised an eyebrow.

"And why's that?"

I exhaled through my nose, clenching my jaw.

"She's… not here anymore."

The male looked around the empty bar and laughed briefly, without much humor, exposing his shiny white teeth. "Well, that's quite obvious."

I got angry in a hurry. Who does he think he is, mocking my dead mother and me? The fucking nerve! I reached out and snatched the photo from his hand, taking him by surprise. A first, by the looks of it.

"She's dead, okay?" I fumed. I moved to leave, but he blocked my path yet again. A deep V formed on his brow. Was that… concern? Nay. Impossible from this vampire.

"I'm sorry. That was terribly rude of me. Pam?" The female was at his side instantly. "Please retrieve my phone." Ah. Her name was Pam. The puzzle was slowly forming.

"Look," I began, feeling like I was about to collapse from exhaustion. "I don't want any trouble," my vision began to swim again. I frowned. There is no _way _that alcohol was still messing with me. I tried to blink away the fog. "I just want to be on my way," I sat back down on the barstool feeling faint. "Please," I mumbled.

I glanced back up at the vampire. He had a cell phone plastered to his ear and was staring at my arms. No doubt inspecting my assorted tattoos. And scars. I refolded my arms behind my back. Noticing the change, he finally met my gaze.

It was like the wind got knocked out of me. Then he spoke to the person on the other line

"Hello Bill."

_I get whatever I need._

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